Wow, this week marks the beginning of September. I know summer doesn’t “officially” end until September 22nd, but when the kids are starting back to school – let’s face it, summer is over and fall is here. I don’t know about you, but the summer of 2020 will be memorable only in the fact that I’d like to forget it. Due to the “C” and “P” word (“COVID-19” and “pandemic”, respectively), the last three months have been quite the slog,…
I love to eat “seasonally”, which means enjoying the fruits and vegetables that are in their prime growing and harvesting months. In today’s society, we’ve become so accustomed to having everything available to us at all times of the year that we often miss out on enjoying nature’s bounty when its rewards are at their most fragrant, flavorful, and in most cases, economical. For example, let’s talk tomatoes (which are in their prime as we speak). Sure, you can buy…
If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you may recall that I switched to a plant-based diet back in November of 2019. To be clear, I did this for my own personal health reasons, as the data I’ve looked at shows that a meatless/dairy-free diet has some significant health benefits. I don’t go around shaming other meat-eaters, waving signs, or attending PETA rallies. I’ll also still eat meat from time to time (if it’s the only option available or…
They say time changes everything. Sadly, I lost a friend this past week. Her name was Nell Simmers. She was 81. For many years, she lived in a small house behind mine – just across the alleyway. Nell was the kind of grand lady whose personality instantly made whoever she was with feel at ease, and she’d talk to you as if she had known you her entire life, even if she just met you. A true local gem. As…
My youngest is entering her senior year in high school this year, so that means that we’re well into the planning and preparations for gearing up for her post-high school education. SATs have been taken (multiple times), high school classes have been chosen with care, and it’s now time to start narrowing down the field for colleges. I’m a big proponent of physically visiting a college BEFORE signing one’s name on the dotted line. Sometimes, a campus will just click,…